Toronto Franchise To Join Nba In 1995-96 Season

The NBA officially moved into international territory Thursday when it awarded the league's 28th franchise to Toronto. The team will begin play in the 1995-96 season.

Although the NBA Expansion Committee also recommended granting a franchise to Vancouver, the Board of Governors delayed that decision for at least a month.

The Toronto ownership group, headed by John Bitove, Jr., will pay the franchise fee of $125 million, which is around $90 million more than what Orlando, Miami, Charlotte and Minnesota paid in the late '80s.

Toronto likely will play in the Eastern Conference, eventually forcing a Central Division team to move into the Western Conference's Midwest Division.

Toronto will get to select either sixth or seventh in the 1995 college draft. The past four expansion teams had to wait until after all nonplayoff teams had made first-round picks to make their selections in their initial seasons. Toronto also will use an expansion draft to stock its team with veterans after the 1994-95 season is completed.

The decision to add at least one franchise from Canada was a priority for the NBA, which seeks to open several foreign markets to strengthen its worldwide popularity.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said Toronto ''is one of North America's outstanding cities and one that we've had our eye one for some time.''

Stern said he envisions adding Vancouver, Mexico City and two American cities, bringing the total to 32 teams, by 2000.

The Toronto ownership group is strong. Bitove oversees his family's Toronto-based food services and hospitality business and serves as chairman of the local organizing committee for the 1994 World Championship of Basketball. His principal partner is Allan Slaight, owner of Standard Broadcasting Corp. in Canada.